Vroom
by skinnyjeansbigdreams
Summary: Astrid's on top of Berk City's street racing game. Or she will be, once she faces the biggest racer roaming the streets- who also happens to be her childhood best friend. Hiccup is looking for a way to not lose her again. Street Racing!AU.
1. Winners and Losers

**it's a stupid name, but hey. what better name for a one shot, possible two-shot if people want the second part that i set it up for, revolving around street racing? i posted it here and on tumblr, so you can go check it out there under "skinnyjeans-bigdreams" on tumblr. which it took me ages to post because for some reason my computer is being really slow. woo. now, onto the sass fest that i'm not even sure i got in character, since yes i was aiming for a more confident hiccup in front of his competition. but enjoy nonetheless.**

Car engines revved. The noise echoed around Astrid, but she wasn't paying attention. Her blue eyes were focused on the entrance to the lot. Blood was pounding in her ears, drowning out the heavy beat of the music playing at the starting line. She surveyed the crowd around around her. Most of them were once her competition. Their fancy, high end sports cars didn't come close to the power instilled into her precious Stormfly by Fishlegs. She was one hell of a car. Tonight, it was important like she performed like one.

The blonde spent the past two years dodging the police and earning herself a name amongst the young, rich racers. Near the beginning of her career, they laughed at her. "Sit pretty and let the real men do the racing, Blondie, your little blue Nadder could never match up." Underestimation was their greatest weakness, and her biggest asset in her earlier races when she didn't have all the techniques mastered. It made seeing their smug faces fade when she was already waiting at the finish line sastisfying. The street racing world was rough, especially in Berk City, and she came out on top.

After she destroyed Hiccup Haddock, son of Berk's favourite mayor. Racing legend.

Her high school best friend, until she moved across the city and has to transfer.

His name wasn't threatening, but Astrid knew his car was. She'd witnessed it in action, weaving in and out of other cars with practiced finesse. It was an unknown model. The beast the audience dubbed "Night Fury" was a Frankenstein's Monster of fast vehicles. It was aerodynamic and almost invisible except for the glare of headlights gleaming across the sleek black exterior. There were no fancy extras attached to Hiccup's car that you saw attached to the others, like neon lights or racing stripes. His strategy was to go incognitio. It worked. Him and his Night Fury hadn't lost a race since they began.

There was a first time for everything.

"Nervous?" A familiar, almost raspy female voice came for the other side of Stormfly's hood. Astrid turned to meet the knowing smirk of Ruffnut Thorston. It had been the twin's fault she'd got roped into racing. Ruff and Tuff had dragged her to one race- the rest was history.

"Me? Nervous?" Her eyes narrowed, "I don't get nervous." Her murderous glare dared the other blonde to argue. She earned a shrug as Ruffnut glanced down, playing with the end of her braid.

"Good, because he's here."

Astrid almost jumped at the squealing of tires that followed Ruff's words immediately. A black shape, barely noticeable except for the street lights shining off it, swerved into the lot full of people. An applause started out, whoops and hollers for Berk's prized racer. The man himself, the one standing between her and victory, stepped out of the shiny black car. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach when she caught sight of his surprisingly charming face in the darkness, and she convinced herself that it was her nerves acting up in the face of the biggest race of her career.

Hiccup looked a lot more goofy when she knew him at fifteen. Back then he was all freckles and goofy, gapped tooth grins needed to charm old ladies. Apparently, that little boy had grown up.

He was a lot taller in now, ditching the oversized hoodies for a leather jacket. He was almost handsome, that stupid floppy hair falling into eyes that looked black. He was scanning the crowd for something. For her, she realized.

"Good luck." Ruffnut cackled, hollering over her shoulder as she stalked off to stand with her brother and their identical light green Zipplebacks. Astrid didn't need luck, she had nothing to fear from Hiccup or his car. He was just like every other guy she raced. She could see it in the relaxed line of his angular jaw and the laid back posture he had while he leaned against his car. His hands were shoved into the pockets of his jeans, far too carefree to know how dangerous she really was. He should've known better. She caught the smile that danced across his lips when he spotted her. She wanted to wipe it off his face and replace it with terror as he approached her. Terror would suit him far better.

Considering she was going to crush him like a bug.

"Hofferson?" Astrid recognized the nasally tenor that greeted her, although she has expected it to deepen since the rest of him had changed.

"Haddock," she responded, her voice calm and callous. His eyes hovered on her for a moment, before they jumped to her car. He reached out to run his fingers over to roof.

"Your Nadder lives up to the hype. She's a beautiful car."

"She's pretty, but she's tough. Don't underestimate me- ah, her- us." She cleared her throat and glanced away, at the crowd instead of his smug smile.

"I've heard a lot about you, M'lady," he drawled out, his voice bordering on mocking. "You've changed."

"Good, so, you're here to forfeit then?" The tight-lipped, sarcastic smile she shot him spoke for her. He couldn't win. She was strong. Hot. Unstoppable. She leaned her body back against Stormfly's front door, arms crossing against her chest. He laughed.

"You think I'm joking?" She asked, lifting her eyebrows and rolling her eyes.

"Everyone here is waiting for a show. It wouldn't be fair of me to forfeit and ruin that," he shrugged, still grinning at her, "don't you think?" His arms motioned animatedly to the crowd around them. Excited voices buzzed, gossiping and placing bets. She couldn't make out any of the words.

"Don't get too upset when I damage your pride then. I gave you the opportunity to surrender."

Astrid loathed the crooked, goofy, _familiar_ grin he gave her. His teeth glinted yellow in the dim street light. "You say that like I've already lost."

"You practically have," her hand found it's way into Stormfly's door handle and she swung the door open with an audible click. She sank back into the comfortable leather seats.

Hiccup leaned down to continue their conversation, his forearm resting on the exterior of the car above their head. His eyes were greener than she remembered, churning with curiousity, and maybe even respect.

"Why are you out here?" The cocky tone had faded from his voice, leaving only interest, and possibly concern. An old friend checking in on you after a parent's death.

Astrid felt uncomfortable. Those eyes were too recognizable, reminding her of the clumsy, sarcastic little boy she'd once told everything too.

She responded, running her fingers across the steering wheel. "I could ask you the same question. You don't need the money, or the fame, you have both of those, beloved son of Mayor Haddock. Why do you do it?"

"I guess you could say I'm a bit of an adrenaline junky," the smile he gave her was nostaglic as he pushed himself away from her door, back to the confident young man he now was. He tipped his imaginary cap to her. "See you at the finish line."

She cracked her knuckles, her foot sliding into position on the gas pedal. "Yeah, I will," She called at his retreating figure, "and Haddock? Prepare for the hardest race of your life."

She heard him laugh as he turned to her, walking backwards towards his car with a saluate and a wink.

"I wouldn't expect anything less, _Hofferson_."


	2. For Old Time's Sake

**So here's the second part! I did this instead of studying for my physics exam, so you should all feel terribly special. and it's a late night, half asleep, i wanted to write something thing so don't expect anything too special enjoy yourself. **

Hiccup had to admit, that had been one of the most exhilarating races of his life.

He couldn't remember a closer race. He was only mere seconds ahead of Astrid when he sped through the finish line, tailed by a sparkly blue car and a girl who was _furious_. He steered clear of her from the moment he had climbed out of his car, her beautiful, terrifying face twisted in fury and her ears tipped red as she stared him down. It was for the better- he wanted to keep his limbs on his body.

He stood, basked in the fluorescent light of Snotlout's big kitchen. He had a beer in hand and was resting back against the granite countertop. He forced smiles and awkward laughter as people congratulated him on winning a race he hadn't even meant to win. He had gone into the race at the start, thinking he was going to give this race to her for old time's sake, and yet her words had struck a competitive cord inside him. He found himself speeding off, dodging cars in front of her and attempting to keep his lead. After the race, it had felt wrong, like he had tarnished any possibility of them being friends again. He thought he was over his stupid, childhood crush. The puppy love he followed her around with that everyone but her noticed until the day she moved and never spoke to him had faded. Until her name started popping up in the people he associated with. Bets placed on the mighty Astrid Hofferson stirred up all those feelings again inside him. It was a bittersweet feeling.

He glanced down at the cool beer clutched in his left hand, swirling it inside the bottle. The sound of laughter echoing from the window caught his attention and he turned, leaning forward to squint into the darkness. She caught his eye, standing in front of her dented car with a cellphone to her ear. Her golden braid was illuminated by the faint light coming from his cousin's massive house, causing her to almost glow. Her face was flushed, from the chilly air outside and from what looked like annoying. Throwing back a swig of his beer from confidence with a smack of his lips, he ventured through the crowds of drunken people. Snotlout never missed an opportunity to throw a party when his dad was out of town, and "his cousin winning the greatest match of all time" was apparently cause for celebration. He reached the front door and paused, shivering at the cool breeze flowing through the open door. He was more than idiotic for approaching her. The alcohol pulsing through his blood didn't care.

Descending the massive porch stairs two at a time, her annoyed expression turned to him and only seemed to worsen. Her car had gotten itself a couple bumps and bruises. From what he could tell, it was all cosmetic. His car had earned it's own imperfections. He would need to make it to Gobber's garage tomorrow, hopefully his bawdy uncle would be away on a Saturday and he could get some peace and quiet. His eyes caught on hers, and he had to supress the smile that wanted to break free on his face. God, he missed her.

"Sorry, Fish. I gotta' go. See ya'." She pressed the end call button on her phone, shooting him a glare.

"You look like you need a drink," he held his bottle out towards her with a nod and a friendly smile. A peace offering. Astrid scoffed and rolled her eyes, placing a hand on her hip and leaning back into her car.

"You're either incredibly masochistic, or just plain stupid if you're over here trying to get me drunk."

Hiccup snorted a bit, taking a sip from the drink held in his hand since she wasn't making any move to take it. "Well, you know me. Pain. Love it." The glare in her entrapping blue eyes softened a little bit and she turned away, bringing her arms up to cross over her chest. He wasn't entirely sure _how _she'd gotten more beautiful, but she had. She'd gone from being a pretty little girl into a model-worthy young woman. She had curves now, utterly distracting ones that were trying to call to his alcohol-foggy eyes. He tried to focus staring on her face instead, but it'd didn't help. He cleared his throat and looked away, lifting the bottle to his lips again.

Just as he was swallowing the alcohol, Astrid's tiny yet strong fist connected with his arm. The pain the jolted through his shoulder caused him to choke and he leaned forward, hacking and attempting to breath. He looked up at her, narrowing his green eyes and parting his lips in confusion.

"Ow! Why would you do that?!" When he stood back up straight, rolling out his shoulder with a grimace, a victorious smirk was pulling at the corners of her perfect lips.

"Really, Haddock? You beat me at something and don't expect repercussions?"

"I didn't expect you to try to choke me!" He responded melodramatically, reaching up to rub at his arm. He pouted at her, lower lip jutting out childishly. She shrugged one shoulders, glancing down at her nails and picking at her cuticles.

"I needed to make sure you weren't expecting it."

"If I'm honest, I expected a lot more than just a punch in the arm," he admitted, looking down at the spot where there was bound to be a bruise in the monring. "I had emotionally prepared for the loss of a limb."

"Would you rather loose a limb?" Even with the teasing undertone to her voice, she was still absolutely terrifying with those words coming out of her lips.

"No!" He squeaked out at her. She laughed, a sound that brought a smile to his mouth.

"Then hand over the alcohol." Astrid held her hand out pointedly for his drink. After stealing one more sip, he handed it over. Astrid had a habit of finishing his drinks when they were younger, no matter what it was, and it seemed that this time wasn't going to be any different. She threw back the last of it and placed the empty bottle on the roof of her car. She frowned down at a nasty indent on the bumper, running her hand over it. She sighed.

Hiccup pursed his lips. "You know if you want, I could take a look at it sometime." He offered, the dented car a great excuse to see her again. He didn't want to lose her again, he couldn't let her get away. Even if he had no shot with her romantically, he missed her friendship. It was a lonely five years without the fiery blonde telling him what to do. Her eyes flickered up to him and she lifted a groomed brow. He quickly backtracked. "Of not, whatever you want, it was just an offer..."

"Since when are you into cars?" Astrid cut off his rambling before it could start. He couldn't help the snarky reply that shot out. Maybe he really was masochistic.

"Well, Astrid. I thought it was pretty obvious when I became a street racing _legend _in Berk that I was into cars..." Astrid's fist connected with his arm again and he yelped, jumping away from her with a glare and another pout.

"Don't get cocky with me now, Hiccup. You know what I meant. When did you start fixing cars?" Her arms crossed over her chest, her face the epitome of displeasure. He shrugged, tucking his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.

"My uncle, well my dad's friend but close enough, moved out here from Scotland just after you moved. He's a mechanic and I just sort of started helping out, I guess."

Astrid was nodding. "Oh."

"So, if you want me to check her out," he patted the Nadder's hood, "I can give you the adress and you can stop by tomorrow, or next week, or something... anytime, really, I'm always there..."

"Okay, yeah. I wouldn't be able to get her fixed until Tuesday, anyway." She held her hand out again, and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Astrid rolled her eyes.

"Your phone, idiot. So I can give you my number? And you can text me the address."

"Oh, right." Hiccup couldn't help the stupid grin that formed on his lips. He fumbled around in his pockets, looking for his phone. He wasn't going to lose her number this time. He pulled out his phone and unlocked it, handing it over. Her fingers wrapped around the screen and tapped away, inputting her phone number. Her eyes squinted at the well lit screen, bright in the darkness. She finished up and handed it back.

"Now, come on Haddock. You have a win to celebrate."

The corner's of his lips curved upwards as she linked arms with him, marching him back towards the house.


	3. Coffee Shop Shennangians

**It's back by popular demand! The stupidly named StreetRacer!AU has survived! I'll be posting a day's early access to this on my tumblr, if anyone wants to follow me there. (skinnyjeans-bigdreams) along with other stupid drabbles. shameless self promotion. Anyway, enjoy the third chapter.**

0o0o0o0

It was midday when Astrid had attempted to get a hold of Hiccup. He was working under his car, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his head from his lasting hangover headache. He didn't hear the distinct buzzing of his phone on the work desk across the room. When he finally pulled himself out from underneath the car to take a break and grabbed his phone, he had 5 messages from her. It was a shock, seeing her name pop up across the screen. When he gave her his number, he didn't anticipate she would actually _use_ it. Maybe she wouldn't disappear again.

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:34pm] _Hey_

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:34pm] _You busy today?_

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:37pm] _Don't tell me you're still sleeping. It's past noon._

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:40pm] _I save your butt from killing yourself in a drunk driving accident and this is how you repay me?_

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:44pm] _Really feeling the love, Haddock._

Hiccup snorted into his hand, scratching at an itch on his nose with the heel of his palm. She'd driven him home last night- part of the reason why he was here right now and not sleeping in his room at home. His dad wasn't going to let him forget that Astrid Hofferson had dropped him off _drunk_ last night. Even if he didn't remember much except for the strawberry scent of her shampoo when he leaned in too close to her hair. He'd drank a lot, enough that he'd woken up at 9 this morning sick as a dog. He was currently relying on pain medication to keep himself from turning into a walking corpse. He could barely remember the conversations he had with Astrid last night. Bits and pieces stuck out to him, though, like her indecisiveness over where she wants to go onto school, which is why she was staying home the year after high school. Another buzzing in his hand pulled him from his thoughts.

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:50pm] _If you don't reply in five minutes, I'm coming to your house to wake you up._

[Hiccup Haddock: 12:50pm] _Hold your horses, M'Lady. I'm awake. _

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:51pm] _Oh, it lives?_

Hiccup laughed.

[Hiccup Haddock: 12:52pm] _Sorry to disappoint._

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:52pm]_ I'm not disappointed._

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:53pm] _I was going to kill you if you died before you could fix my car like you promised. I've been waiting all morning._

[Hiccup Haddock: 12:53pm] _How do you plan on killing me if I'm already dead?_

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:53pm] _... Shut up Haddock._

Hiccup didn't notice the way he was stupidly grinning at his phone. He did, however, notice how even a text from her managed to get his heart beating furiously inside his chest. He'd convinced himself for four years that he was over her, that Astrid Hofferson was a fantasy that would never happen. When she walked back into his life it's like all those feelings bubbled back to the surface, reminding him how ridiculous it was that he cared so much for her.

[Hiccup Haddock: 12:56pm] _You know, if you're so scared that I'm going to die before I could fix your car, you could come by right now. The garage isn't in use and I could try to fix her up for you._

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:57pm]_ Really? That'd be great. I promised a friend of mine I'd meet her for coffee once she's up, but I could probably stop by after._

[Hiccup Haddock: 12:58pm] _Yeah, anytime you're ready. I'll be here. _

[Astrid Hofferson: 12:59pm]_ Great, I'll see you then._

Hiccup grinned to himself as he shut off his phone. He pushed himself off the work bench, and made his way into the main office. His Uncle, Gregory Gobber, was sitting back in the wheely office chair at the counter, a game of football on the small tv he kept in the corner above the table full of magazines. He was snoring faintly, feet thrown up on the shelf under the table. The stubby blonde man taught Hiccup everything he knew about cars over the past few years, lacing his knowledge with subtle teasing. Today was apparently no exception to the rule.

"Tha' grin on your face contributing to tha' fact tha' Astrid brought you home drunk as a doormouse last night?" His thick Scottish accent sounded behind Hiccup as he ducked down to the mini-fridge below the counter. Gobber had himself set up in the small office. Hiccup pulled out a bottle of water. He stood back up, glaring back at his mentor, who was watching him with amused eyes. Hiccup waved his hand at him.

"Don't tell me you're going to start that too," he leaned back into the wall, unscrewing the cap, "I already got a lecture. "You're still too young to be drinking, Henderson Haddock. Imagine what it would look on the campaign if my son was arrested for underage intoxication?" Hiccup's voice lowered as he mocked his father, puffing out his chest and holding his arms further than shoulder-length apart to look bigger.

"He jus' wants you to be safe, boy," Gobber tried to comfort him, "he doesn't want you to get hurt."

Hiccup snorted into his water, coughing as the cold liquid went down the wrong pipe. "He's just worried about me ruining his reputation. Hiccup the Useless strikes again," he grumbled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Simon "Stoick" Haddock only ever showed disappointment in his son, or that's how Hiccup felt. Since he found his fox, Toothless, and caused a slight uproar among the political parties also looking for leadership of Berk City, Hiccup felt like he was one big disappointment to his father. That was part of the reason he enjoyed racing so much. He felt free, looked up too, uncontrolled. He was his own person, and he wasn't a disappointment.

"Hiccup," He held his hand up to quiet his uncle. Gobber wasn't actually his uncle, rather his dad's closest friend, but Hiccup grew up around him so much that it felt wrong to not call him family.

"Astrid's stopping by later so I can help fix her car," Hiccup interrupted the conversation before it could continue, "I'm going to go finish working on mine before she gets here." He didn't want to hear about how much his dad actually cared about him.

Hiccup pushed himself off the wall, walking back into the garage and shoving his hands into his pockets with a sigh. He hoped Gobber would take the hint and get out of the office before she got there. He didn't think he could handle Gobber embarrassing him in front of Astrid.

0o0o0o0

Astrid stared at the blonde on the opposite end of the table. Her fingers bounced uncomfortably on the wood, iced coffee sitting practically untouched in front of her. Ruffnut had a predatory smirk across her face, eyes boring into her best friend's. Astrid did not back down from a challenge. She knew exactly what Ruffnut was going to start with. Astrid didn't think she stopped that voracious smile since she picked her up from Hiccup's house last night. Ruff leaned forward, fingers coming to rest under her chin, folded over one another. Astrid held up a slender hand, shaking her head.

"Don't even start," she told the other girl, hand falling back to the table.

"He beats you in a race, and now he's fixing your car?" Ruff's eyebrows wiggled.

Astrid glared, slouching down into the chair. "Nothing happened, Ruffnut," she retorted, almost sulkily. Nothing had happened. She had found her childhood best friend and he had offered to fix her car earlier than she had originally planned. So what if he wasn't the adorable little dork who she knew previous? All she was doing was getting her car fixed by someone who knew what he was doing and wasn't going to ask questions. Her fingers flew up to brush her bangs out of her face, and her eyes narrowed.

"One minute you're calling him the "son of a half-troll," and then he's fixing your car? I wouldn't call that nothing. You're not telling me something," Ruff grinned, "Astrid Hofferson isn't the type to forgive and forget."

Astrid shrugged her shoulders. "I knew him when I was younger. I'm just catching up with an old friend, that's all."

Ruff snorted in a very un-ladylike way. "Catching up? Is that what you're calling it?"

Astrid flung her hand out, smashing it against Ruff's arm. "There isn't any 'it.' I haven't seen him in like five years. I'm not going to just jump into his bed!" Her hands flew up into the air.

Ruff shrugged, unfazed by the act of violence. "You left the party with him last night. You're telling me that you _didn't_ jump into his bed?"

Astrid scowled in her friend's direction. "No, I didn't." She left the party with Hiccup last night, but he hadn't been in any condition to try anything with her. Not that he would want too. Not that she would want too. He was a stumbling, slightly giggling drunk who needed to get home without a DUI, and she was the only person sober enough to help him. Ruffnut looked genuinely surprised.

"I just thought because of that _ass-"_

"You're forgetting I've known him since I was like, five, Ruffnut. I'm not thinking about his ass," Astrid's arms crossed over her chest while she glowered. That ass had gotten better. However she wasn't paying attention, because that ass didn't catch her attention. He was Hiccup, for pete's sake. Dorky little Hiccup who forced her to help him make water-bottle rockets when they were ten and almost blew up her garage when they were twelve. Just because he grew a few feet and gained more angles than he had before didn't mean she had to think about him in anyway than fifteen year old, scrawny, childish Hiccup. That's the way it was going to stay.

"Okay, fine. You don't have to think about his ass. That doesn't mean I'm not going too."

Astrid's hand flew up to her head, "Can we change the subject?"

Ruffnut shrugged her shoulders and glanced down at her nails, scratching at her cuticles. Her short blonde hair ruffled around her ears as a breeze blew in from the air conditioning. "To what?"

She shrugged right back at her friend and tapped her shoe against the ground. "I don't know. Something other than what we're talking about now."

"Oh," Ruff leaned forward again, landing her arms across the table with a thunk. "I heard about another race at Snotlout's party last night."

"Snotlout?" Astrid lifted her eyebrows. The name sounded vaguely familiar. She was pretty sure Hiccup mentioned him as the host of the party. "Who's that?"

Ruff sipped her drink casually. "The dick who threw the party last night. He kept calling me babe and trying to put his arm around me," Astrid wrinkled her nose as she continued, "Anyway, he was bragging he's going to be racing some guy next Tuesday." She stretched her arms over her head and dropped them to her lap with a sigh. She waved her hand around in the air and rested her chin on her hands. "You're going to come watch me watch him get his ass kicked, right?"

Astrid let out a laugh. "Do I get a choice?"

She shook her head. "No, you don't."

"Then I guess the answer is yes." She half-grinned at her friend and then glanced down at her phone. 3:30pm. Astrid stood up, pushing her chair away from the table and picking her practically melted coffee off the table. She tried to ignore Ruff's smirk as she threw her bag over her shoulder. "I should go get my car fixed before it's too late."

"Have fun," Astrid pretended not to hear the undercurrent of innuendo as she stalked out the door and over to her dented blue car.


	4. Astrid's British Boyfriend

**I should re-title this "Scarlet knows nothing about cars." Also, Hicclout bromance. I kind of like it. You see kind-of support of Snotlout and Hiccup in the second movie. I imagine that once Hiccup proves himself, especially if he became big in the field of street racing in this AU, Snotlout was all over being able to brag about how "it runs in the family" and "yeah, i'm pretty close with the guy who rides the Night Fury. C'mon babe, I'll introduce you." And Hiccup was like "ehhhhhh okay?" Pardon moi.**

When Astrid finally arrived at the garage, she thought she had ended up at the wrong place. It was empty, except for the cheering on the small black TV in the corner. She walked in and out of the office three times and checked the front sign twice. She stormed into the office space for a fourth time, ringing the bell above the door. She heard something faint coming from the door ajar behind the counter that she hadn't noticed before. It was a growling noise; the sort of noise made by power tools.

"Hello?" Whoever was in the back space of the garage couldn't hear her, so she decided to take a chance and made her way behind the counter. The blonde found it difficult to make it through the cramped space without knocking things over. Even with her petite frame, she had to suck in her stomach to get in behind the counter. Sticky notes, crumpled paper, pens and empty energy drink bottles littered the counter space. She pushed open the door with caution.

The noise was louder one she entered the actual garage. It echoed between the concrete bricks on the walls and the cars that covered the floor space. A motorcycle sat against one of the two work desks. Papers and notes littered the entirety of the room, and Astrid wondered how any work got done here at all. She remembered that Hiccup was never one for keeping organized, and if it ran in the family, his uncle probably wasn't either. She let her eyes wander over the projects in the garage. None of them looked finished. Some cars were up on the lifts, other's were apart with their parts scattered across the floor. In the back behind the cars, she saw the shimmering black of a familiar vehicle. Two equally familiar lanky legs stuck out from underneath it. She smiled.

"Hiccup?" Astrid called out in the direction of the car. The drilling noise stopped and she heard Hiccup mutter to himself, too quiet for her to make out any of the words. Rock music played in the background faintly, and it made sense why he hadn't heard her until that point. She watched as more of the boy appeared from under the car.

"Huh?" He had a confused look on his face before he saw her and waved her over. "Oh. Hey, Astrid. Hi Astrid," He waved her over, running the back of his hand across his face. A line of grease smeared across the freckles on the bridge of his nose. He smiled sheepishly at her as she approached, completely unaware.

"I was starting to think you sent me the wrong address, Haddock," Her hand came to land on her hip. Hiccup chuckled and glanced down. His stained hand rubbed the back of his neck nervously, disheveling the auburn hair already sticking up there.

"Yeah, sorry," He scuffed the ground with the toe of his shoe, "I didn't hear you come in." He pulled himself to his feet with a grunt and wiped his hands off on the grubby denim of his pants. Hiccup glanced in the direction of the metal door at the front of the building. "Did you bring your car?"

"Mm," Astrid nodded, "She's parked in the front. I wasn't sure where you wanted her or how to get in here, so..." she trailed off. She felt the end of her ponytail tickle the back of her neck when she turned her head to follow his gaze. "It's obvious now, but I needed you to open that."

"Huh, yeah. It's pretty obvious," Hiccup's thin arms shrugged nonchalantly. He cleared his throat and pointed a slender finger in her direction. "You can drive your car in through there once I open the door."

"Alright," Astrid shot him a friendly smile as she turned to head to the door. In the light of day, Hiccup seemed to become more like a _hiccup_. In greased stained clothes and run down, faded converse, he was more relatable as the awkward pre-teen she used to know. She preferred Hiccup Haddock, gangly, freckled clutz, to Henderson Haddock, alcohol-influenced street racer.

Astrid climbed into her Nadder, watching the heavy door slowly disappear into the top of the building. Not that she minded drunk Hiccup. He was better than most. He didn't have grabby hands or a sloppy mouth that didn't know the meaning of no. There was something about sitting on the leather sofa with him; with him hanging on her every word that reminded her so much of their friendship before. It came naturally to her.

She pressed her foot down on the gas petal and navigated her sleek blue vehicle into the building. It was difficult, with the cars laying around in an unorganized fashion, to find a place to park. They eventually settled for a spot between the two desks, almost knocking over the motorcycle. He moved around the garage with practiced finesse, stepping over half-built car parts and ruined paper as he retrieved his toolbox from beside his Night Fury. Astrid slid out of the leather seats and held her keys out to him, only to move them away when he reached for them. She curled her lower lip at him in a small snarl.

"Be careful with her," she warned him, before she finally let him pry the keys out of her grasp. Her car was her and Fish's pride and glory, it would break both their hearts if she let Hiccup blow her up. He gave her a goofy grin, gapped teeth and everything.

"I wouldn't dare hurt the precious car of the mighty Astrid Hofferson, M'Lady. That would be suicide- ow!" She punched him hard in the shoulder with a satisfied nod.

"Just get to work," Astrid turned away from the spindly boy and scanned the room for a place to sit. She settled on the wooden desk closest to them. Ruffling through the blueprints and drawings of what looked like a cat she made room for herself to sit. She briefly checked for any oil and then she climbed up onto the desk.

"If you need reassurance, I could tell you what each tool does." He motioned jokingly to the box beside him, spilling over with metal. He ducked down and picked up a wrench, waving at at her with a pointed finger, "This here is a wrench, used for tightening things." Hiccup spoke like he was trying to sell her that particular wrench. His eyebrows wiggled animatedly on his forehead, disappearing at one point into the reddish-brown crop of hair on his head.

"You should write a book," Astrid suggested, with the hints of a smile played on her face. Hiccup grinned wide at her, puffing out his chest in a playful manner.

"Yeah? I'll call it 'Tool Usage for Dummies'." Astrid couldn't help but laugh, her arms finding their way behind her and knocking a couple of papers onto the floor.

"We'll make millions." Hiccup's face grew lightheartedly serious. He eyed her with curiosity. His green eyes were intense, even when he was being playful, and she found herself unable to look away.

"We?"

"Yeah, we. I expect part of the profit." Astrid placed her hand on her chest. "At least twenty percent for helping you come up with the idea, Haddock."

Hiccup chortled under his break and shook his head. "Twenty percent? That's a whole lot for just helping me come up with the idea," He clicked his tongue, widening his arms in an animated gesture, "How about ten?" Hiccup's grin was contagious; Astrid found her own smile had grown to show her teeth.

"Make it fifteen, and we have a deal. Plus you have to finish fixing my car." Hiccup turned away from her to study the car, his grin fading to a smile as he turned to the task at hand.

"Is there any problems you've noticed besides the cosmetic work?" He asked her, running a calloused hand over the nasty dent on her bumper. Astrid quieted for a moment as she racked her brain for any other problems.

"She's making a grinding noise," she said slowly, before she shrugged, "You could check out if you want. I was going to ask my mechanic about it when I went to see him Tuesday. You don't have to look at it."

"It could be important. I'll check it out anyway." Hiccup had already lowered himself under the car; his voice was muffled.

"To be honest, I didn't even notice it at first. I was on the phone with Eret and he brought it up before I hung up..."

"Eret?" Hiccup sounded perplexed. Astrid blinked a few times, and doubled back on her words from the party prior. She vividly remembered bringing up her boyfriend to Hiccup last night. They talked about him. He was a subject that she had brought up a few times.

"Yeah, Eret. I told you about him last night?" It came out like a question.

Hiccup laughed, foot tapping against the concrete floor while he worked. "I was pretty wasted last night, Astrid. It's all either black or blurry."

**Oh**, that made sense.

"Eret's my boyfriend-" Astrid found herself cut off by the sound of something dropping to the floor. Hiccup swore as the flashlight he was previous holding rolled out from under her car.

"Are you okay?" She sat straighter and forward, ready to help if it was necessary.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine. Sorry. Continue on." Under the casual tone of Hiccup's voice, Astrid could detect a hint of something abnormal that wasn't there before. He sounded almost bitter. She convinced herself she was reading to much into it. Hiccup usually had the harsh bite of nasally sarcasm under his words.

"Yeah, my boyfriend. He's in London right now, checking out a college near his grandparents. He has a scholarship for soccer there," Astrid kicked her legs beneath her as she perched on the edge of his desk, "His parents moved here senior year, so I met him my last year of high school." They had made perfect sense. Eret was into forced captianhood of the soccer team, and she was fastest runner in track. Everything about them clicked into place.

Hiccup didn't respond. The garage was silent except for the sound of the radio DJ's raspy voice telling about the next song. Astrid felt the awkward silence settle over them. It was almost tangible in the air. She stared down at her sneakers, unsure of what to say next. It was the first time she could remember Hiccup not having something to say to her. She let out a quiet sigh, reaching up to brush her bangs away from her face and behind her ear.

A short, stubby man not much older than them who looked oddly familiar burst into the room. He had brown hair, which looked improperly cut into choppy layers down to his jaw. There was a baseball hat shoving the hair even further down in a ridiculous fashion. He struck Astrid as the kind of guy who would count higher than the amount of pushups he'd actually done at the gym to impress a girl. The door slamming echoed through the garage and the brunette started talking before he had seen them across the room.

"Yo, Cos. I need you to fix the breaks on my car. They're growling at me- am I interrupting something?" His thick, fuzzy eyebrows wiggled as he glanced between Astrid and the legs sticking out under the broken car.

"No, Snotlout," she could hear the annoyed expression on Hiccup's face just through his tone of voice, "I'm just fixing her car."

"Good," Snotlout winked in her direction and leaned against the desk beside her. His face closed the distance between them, far to close for her to be comfortable. As he leaned closer she noticed a purple mark on the left of his face, about roughly fist sized. It wasn't at all shocking. "More for me."

Astrid assumed this was the same Snotlout Ruffnut had brought up earlier, judging by the unusual nickname and the cocky personality. She held up a small hand and pushed her hand into his big head, shoving him away from her and rolling her eyes.

"Y'know, we could hang out. I live in my parents basement, it's totally awesome down there. We could work out. You look like you work out." He shot her an arrogant grin and she let out a frustrated huff. With a roll of her eyes Astrid slid out of his line of reach, over a couple of the tools that were laying around. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Mr. High and Mighty. She was never in the mood to deal with boys with big egos. She got enough of that at home.

"I think I should go, Hiccup," she turned to face her preferred companion, arms resting over her grey t-shirt. "I still have things to do."

Hiccup seemed to catch on and he nodded, pushing himself out from underneath her Nadder. Sitting up, he rested his arm against his knee. His hands didn't seem to know what to do as they flailed for a moment before coming to settle over each other. She missed how he avoided her eyes to stare at paper on the floor.

"It'll take me a few days to get her good as new. If you have to go, I guess I'll call you when it's done."

Snotlout butted his way back into their conversation, his canines glinting slightly as he nodded his head in her direction.

"If you want a ride, I could take you in my Nightmare," Snotlout asked her, his words laced with a hidden innuendo. A suggestive movement of his hips confirmed her suspicion, and provoked a disgusted noise from her mouth.

"Not interested. I'd rather walk," she told him with a scowl. She flicked her hair out of her eyes again and stalked back towards the front door. She waved a goodbye to Hiccup, ignoring Snotlout's disappointed face. He was attempting puppy dog eyes.

"But _babe," _For such a wide man, Snotlout had a had a high-pitched whine that grated on her ears. Hiccup snapped at him with a remark Astrid missed; she was already on her way out of the door.

0o0o0o0o

"She wants the Snot," his cousin said proudly, puffing his chest out and hitting it once with his fist. It was some kind of manly gesture Hiccup never understood. It just made his cousin look like a bigger monkey than he already was. "She totally wants the Snot."

"She has a boyfriend," Hiccup shot a glare in Snotlout's direction, pulling himself off the dusty garage floor. Of course she had a boyfriend. Perfect Astrid Hofferson should have a perfect foreign boyfriend in _London_ for _soccer_. One that scrawny Hiccup Haddock could never compete with. He didn't know why the feeling of disappointment settled into the pit of his stomach. He certainly didn't expect that he would fix her car and win her heart so they could ride off into the sunset. He didn't expect anything, if he was honest with himself. He felt lucky he even had the opportunity to rekindle their missing friendship. Even still, the fifteen year old who lived inside him -the one with the unrealistic infatuation with her- was crestfallen with the news that now there was no chance.

"That has to sting," Snotlout stared at him with pity. His large, meaty hand came to land on Hiccup's back. The look Hiccup shot back was dubious, eyebrows lifted, the corner of his mouth twitching downwards.

"What do you mean?"

"The girl you have a thing for has a boyfriend," the hand on his back patted him with more force than was necessary, sending Hiccup forward slightly. Hiccup shot him a glare and shook him off, ducking down to start to gather up papers Astrid had knocked to the floor. He didn't mind she abused his drawings and blueprints twenty minutes ago; now he was frustrated the little regard she had for his things.

"I don't have a thing for her," Hiccup grunted with annoyance.

"You do."

"I don't."

"You _do," _Snotlout pointed at the pile of papers with a brawny finger, before lifting it up to poke it against his shoulder. Peeking out from the hoard was a scrap of torn graphing paper, complete with a doodle of a familiar girl with a long braid that fell over her shoulder. Hiccup snatched the drawing and crumpled it in his hand, shoving it into his pocket. He was caught. He was screwed. Snotlout couldn't keep a secret for the life of him. "Besides, everyone could see the googly eyes you were making at her last night," a simple shrug added emphasis to his point.

Hiccup groaned and let his head fall against the concrete bricks. The force caused a small pain to shoot through his forehead. "Was it that obvious?" He silently kicked himself. He was hopeless. He thought he was over Astrid when she fell of the face of the earth. A part of him was sour that he had let her weasel her way back inside his heart.

Snotlout seemed to notice his cousins distress and let his hand fall onto his shoulder again. Hiccup couldn't seem to shake him off. "I think it's time for some of Snotlout's lady advice, Cos."

Hiccup let out a very dry laugh. "Oh, yeah, 'Lout. You have great luck with getting girls," the sarcasm flew right over his cousin's head.

Snotlout patted him on the shoulder. "Yeah, I do!"

"Weren't you telling Gobber earlier about how that blonde with the braids punched you in the face last night for trying to kiss her?"

"It was an act of love, Hiccup. You really don't know anything about girls," The brawnier man shook his head, "No wonder your having such a hard time with that blonde."

"Last time I checked, a punch in the face is not an act of love." And he was the one who knew nothing about girls, "Especially not one that leaves that nasty of a bruise." Hiccup waved his index finger towards the pale bruise on the side of his cousin's jaw.

"Shhhh, Cos," He he held his hand up to silence Hiccup, shaking his head and shutting his eyes. "The love guru here to help you," Snotlout wrapped his beefy arm around Hiccup's shoulders, shaking him. "You still have a chance. You just have too-"

"He's European."

"Okay," Snotlout gave him another pitying glance, "Maybe it's a very small chance-"

"And apparently amazing at soccer." Hiccup was doing his best to nip any of his cousins dangerous ideas in the butt. Preferably before Hiccup would have to become a hermit, away in a cave, to disguise the shame.

"Okay, with me as your wingman, you'll do fine." Snotlout's confidence was smothering.

Hiccup pushed his cousin off of himself, stepping away from him and dropping back down to the floor. "I don't need a wingman. I don't plan on trying to _win_ Astrid."

Snotlout stared at him with blank, glazed over eyes before he continued talking. "Okay, Cos. Whatever floats your boat. Here's how this is going to go..."

Hiccup blocked out his cousin at that point, sliding himself back under Astrid's car. Snotlout never listened to him anyway, so it wasn't a surprise that those words flew right over his head. Hiccup hoped that his cousin's small attention span would cause him to forget all about whatever ludicrous ideas that surfaced in his dense skull. He used the busy work of figuring out how her particular model worked (he never worked on a Nadder before) to distract his wandering mind off of the beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair, his cousins voice fading into dull background noise.


	5. The Wicked Witch of the West

**Trigger Warning: Emotional Abuse (Narcissistic Parenting) It isn't like, crazy bad, but I know some people have lived through things like this and it can be trumatizing and make you feel like you're crazy.**

**I'm basing everything off of research over the internet and through studying the behavior between my mom and my grandma, as well as the behavior between my friend and her mother. _I want to apologize if I get something wrong. Feel free to correct me and I will fix my mistake. I am not and do not claim to be an expert._**

**Okay, onto the chapter.**

Astrid trudged up the meticulously kept porch steps into her two story suburban house. She took the longest bus-route home she could, avoiding her final destination. Her heart sunk when the aroma of food wafted out the screen door into the stiff summer air. The entire way home she had begged and pleaded that her mother be out working late; unfortunately, her prayers weren't answered.

"Where were you today, sweetie?" Astrid cringed away from the high-pitched, entirely fake words of consideration. She toed off her sneakers. She knew she was about to be coerced into a battle she couldn't win. The woman was impossible.

To someone outside of the household it would've looked normal. Her 13-year old brother Aldebaran sat sprawled across the couch. His grubby little hands hogged the remote as he watched a brutal match of wrestling on the TV. Her mother, dressed in a business suit ironed to perfection, set supper down on the table. The question would sound like one of innocence to anyone but Astrid. She knew the malice behind the words of curiosity. She knew the scowl hidden behind the mask of concern on her mother's painted-on face. The woman turned to her, gunmetal blue eyes staring her down.

"I met Riley for coffee," Astrid muttered under her breath, eyes plastered to the floor, "And then I took my car to see Fredrick." Astrid thought it would be safe to avoid bringing up Hiccup for now. Astrid, now finally thinking about it, had gotten a sinking suspicion that her mother was the reason why Hiccup's phone number disappeared from the list on the table beside the phone. A couple stray curls that had fallen into her face floated around her head as the woman exhaled a sigh.

"And what? You didn't want to come home to help your mother cook supper?" Astrid knew the words before they were even out of her mouth. It was a different phrase everyday, but it all filtered around the same ideas; All the "why don't you love me"s and the "you can be so ungrateful"s that she heard when nobody else was around. Astrid was used to the disappointed frown she was receiving. "I worked all day, and then I had to come home and cook supper without even a little bit of help."

Astrid's temper flared when she glanced at her lazy brother on the couch. She jerked her chin in the direction of the preteen, with his feet up on the coffee table. "Why didn't you ask Al to help you? He's been here all day."

"Don't be ridiculous, Astrid," her mother's laugh wasn't genuine. Whenever she laughed, the woman sounded like an evil witch. Astrid couldn't stand it. "Al is too young to help. Why do you always try to push your responsibilities onto him?"

"Yeah," Al echoed, turning himself around to shoot Astrid a sickening grin, "Why do you always push your responsibilities on me, As?"

"Shut up, Brat," Astrid shot at him, balling her fists at her sides. "This isn't any of your business." Astrid didn't feel even remotely guilty for taking out her anger on her little brother. He got enough praise from their mother. He got his B average tests on the fridge and he got to brag about how well he's doing in wrestling at school. Aldebaran could take the medicine he dished out to his sister.

"Astrid!" Her mother cut her off with a glare before Al could respond. Astrid wanted to punch the smug smirk right off her brother's face, but with her mother in the room, she couldn't. Instead she settled for trying to fry his brain with her mind.

"You've been so moody lately. What has gotten into you?" The clicking of her mother's tongue was infuriating, boring into her skull like a thousand needles. "Is something wrong with Eret?"

Astrid clenched her jaw and found herself grinding her teeth. "I'm fine," She forced herself to stand straight again, calming herself down with her chin in the air in defiance. "Nothing's wrong with Eret."

"One of your other friends, then?"

"No, mom, nothing's wrong. Everything is _peachy_," Astrid gave a tight-lipped smile to her mother, arms falling to her side.

"You can talk to me, if you need to. Don't take out your anger on your brother. He doesn't deserve it," her mother scolded her in the tone of her voice, not the words she used. Astrid nodded, making a very rude hand gesture to her mother with her hands behind her back. "Now go get washed up. You too, Al."

Astrid stalked off towards the stairs, shooting her brother another dirty glare before heading up to her bathroom. It wasn't until she had safely locked herself inside the small white space that she allowed herself to take out her anger. Astrid opened her mouth in a silent scream, swinging her fists through the air. Once she had successfully beat the oxygen from her lungs, she allowed herself to calm down. Her chest heaved as she gulped down heavy breaths. She opened her eyes, staring at herself in the mirror. People often told Astrid she looked like her mother. They had the same blue colored irises, and the same honey waves of hair. Astrid had her mother's thin body shape, wide hips and her small chest. Her cheeks were lit up with the same rosy pink color her mom covered with too-much makeup in the mornings.

Maybe she did look like her mother, but Astrid preferred to think she looked like her father. She had his rounded chin, his small, slightly crinked nose, and the fiery determination she always admired in his hazel eyes. She missed that fire, the only one who would stand up for against her mother. Her heart throbbed. It'd been two years since he died. Without her father their home felt nothing but cold to her.

She felt like Cinderella, only with more independence. She didn't need a fairy Godmother to sweep in and save her, or a prince to carry her away to a new castle. Astrid would find her own way to beat down the evil queen and save herself; without magic spells and glass slippers.

When Astrid pulled her head up from splashing cold water into her face, she noticed the rows of nail polish on her shelf were arranged differently. Dark blue was between the reds and the yellows, the exact opposite from where Astrid kept it. Astrid panicked, like she did every time she noticed something was different. It meant her mother had gone through her things. Quietly, Astrid slipped out of her bathroom and back into her bedroom. Just as she suspected; her bedspread was untucked from her mattress, and her desk drawers were left slightly ajar. There was no privacy in this home. What was hers, was her mothers and her brothers.

Astrid shuffled her socks over the carpeted floor to her bird cage, where a teal parrotlet peered out at her with tiny black eyes. "Hey Stormfly," She purred, unlocking the cage. The little bird bounce out onto her fingertips. Stormfly used her little yellow bird feet to climb up onto her arm, settling down on her master's shoulder. Immediately, she began to preen at Astrid's messy ponytail, blue wings settling against her sides. "Did you protect our little secret, girl?" Stormfly's cage was the best place to hide important things. Her mother was both disgusted and terrified of the beautiful feathered creature, and the bird didn't enjoy the company of her mother either. She'd gotten the bird just before summer, as a graduation gift from her Uncle Finn. The only one who actually showed up to see her throw her cap in the air.

Astrid reached her long arm into the cage, avoiding the bird poop. She pried open the bottom. Where a pet owner would normally store things for their pet, Astrid used the false bottom as a safe. Stormfly was her code. A soft sigh of relief escaped her partly parted lips when she saw her emergency fund was still there, still safe-kept against the shiny gold bottom of the cage. Stormfly let out a tweet and tilted her head, bouncing down Astrid's arm again.

"Thank you girl," She ran her hand over her bird, smoothing out the downy-soft feathers. Stormfly let out a satisfied whistle, her eyes trained on Astrid's other hand as it put the fake bottom back down and reached for the seeds. The bird landed on Astrid's free hand and started to eat the seeds, pleased with her reward for keeping her master's secrets safe. Carefully, Astrid lowered her bird into it's cage.

"Astrid, honey? Are you coming?" Her mom's words echoed up the stairs, persistent.

"Just feeding Stormfly!" She called back, shutting the door and latching it again with a smile towards her magnificent bird.

"Hurry up! Supper's getting cold!"

Astrid dashed back into the bathroom to wash her hands over again, before heading downstairs where her brother and mother were already seated.

0o0o0o0

The delicious dinner her mother had slaved away all day for sat on the still table, getting cold. Dinner had to be cut short; her mother got a phone call from someone and immediately disappeared into her office. Astrid sat and watch her little brother shovel a large amount of food into his chubby cheeks before disappearing back into the living room, leaving her alone to clean up. Astrid's hands were burning under the hot water as she scrubbed each dish to perfection, placing them with delicacy in the dish rack. The Wicked Witch's office was off of the kitchen, and on occasion a loud peal of obnoxious laughter would reverberate around Astrid's brain. The voice started to rise above the soothing sound of running water, and Astrid didn't like what it had to say.

"Oh, I know. I would've called you earlier, Maybelle. Unfortunately, I was forced to cook dinner and completely forgot." Astrid rolled her eyes. There was a pause, and then a distressed sigh.

"Yes, she was," Astrid continued circling the black plate in her death grip with the sponge, grease and food leftovers getting caught in the green fuzz. She abused the sponge to the point where little pieces of green were ripping off the top, tumbling down the drain with the water.

"I don't know what's happening to her. She's always been an angry kid, but since Daniel died..." her mother trailed off with another sigh that was anything but concerned to Astrid's ears, "Her anger has gotten worse."

"I wonder why," Astrid hissed under her breath with a roll of her eyes. In an attempt to block out the words, she turned up the tap. Her mother's voice only raised in volume.

"I wish Astrid and I could have a relationship like you and your daughter," Astrid's blood boiled, "I try, but she just pushes me away." She couldn't take any more. She dropped the plate she was washing into the sink with a metallic thud and rinsed off her hands before shutting off the tap.

"I'm going out," Astrid grabbed a jacket off the back of the kitchen chair, sticking her head briefly into her mother's office. The middle-aged woman turned to spun in her black office chair to meet her daughter's eyes.

"What do you mean, you're going out?"

"I meant, I'm leaving the house." Astrid spoke slowly, like her mother couldn't understand her. She earned a glare and matched it with equal ferocity.

"Did you finish the dishes?" Her mother still had that calm tone, despite the furious look in her eyes. Had to keep up appearances, one of the "co-worker bitches" she didn't like was on the phone.

Astrid turned, stuffing her hands stiffly into the pockets of her light track jacket. "I'll finish them when I get back."

"You certainly will not."

Astrid shot a vicious smile at her mother over her shoulder, storming outside. "_Watch me_." She could hear her mother calling at her as she let the screen door slam shut behind her, but Astrid didn't care. Anger pulsed inside her, burning like a fire through her veins. It fueled her energy. Her feet started to beat steadily off the pavement as Astrid took off running down the paved streets of her suburban neighborhood. She pushed off her toes, landing on them as she pushed herself. Faster. She needed to put as much distance between her house and herself.

She thought about her mother's words, and it was like adding coal to the flames. She _tried. _Astrid spent the first fifteen years of her life struggling to hold on to any possibly healthy relationship with her mother. Even now, she **still** craved that maternal love that every kid wanted. She was bitterly jealous of her friends. They had mothers who praised them, who came to see them at important sports events, and who cared for them. Astrid's entire childhood was spent struggling to gain that love and appraisal, but it was her mother who pushed her away. How dare she have the guts to say _Astrid_ was the one not allowing the relationship to bloom.

Astrid honestly couldn't wait until she could leave for university. She wasn't going very far at all, only to Berk's resident Uni, but she it would be an excuse to get away from the household she was trapped in right now. She was secretly searching for an apartment to rent, one close to the school and away from her mother. Maybe once she was no longer a burden in her mom's life she could fix the broken relationship she had. If it was even possible. Astrid had a sinking feeling that she could never be close to her mother like Al was, and she swallowed down the need that formed like a lump in her throat. She just wanted a parent who cared. Someone to be there to support her at her track meets, maybe someone to cheer for her at banquets.

All she had were the same disappointing scowls. Doing favors and getting nothing in return. Looking for someone to support her in the stands and seeing nothing. Astrid was lonely. That's part of the reason she liked Hiccup. He didn't have a mother either. She didn't have to suffer through the jealousy she shamefully felt when she saw other people sharing moments with caring mothers. His disappeared a few months after he was born, and she often found out that he felt the same way she did. He craved the motherly affection he would never have.

A pang of guilt hit Astrid like a bullet to the stomach. Hiccup had always been outcasted at their middle school, and lonely if it hadn't been for Astrid. Once she left, she realized he must have disappeared back into his bedroom and rarely ever came out. Even though she didn't want to admit it, Astrid never really missed Hiccup. Over the years she would have moments where she craved her best friend, but she thought she had grown up. Moved on. Clearly, his phone number had disappeared for a reason. Besides, Astrid was making new friends. People who were there in her immediate life, like Ruffnut. She never ached for the comfortable companionship she had found in her childhood best friend.

Until he met her with those intense green eyes and acted like he was _concerned. _Like even after she fell off the face of the planet, Hiccup Haddock still cared and still wanted to know why she was putting herself in danger.

Astrid ran faster, past all the familiar houses. Each one looked like the next, down to the surnames painted white on the green mailboxes. Even jogging around the neighborhood wasn't good enough. Each house reminded her of what she had at home. Pushing herself, she found her way past taller and taller buildings, weaving between people as they walked through the city. Eventually the street lights lit up into occasion lit windows in office buildings and the fluorescent lights of strip clubs and bars downtown. Shady guys were around every corner, sirens wailed in the distance. The breaths Astrid took were labored, burning her chest and tightening in her throat. Her mouth was dry. She kept going, despite the pain, until she came to a stoplight. Pausing, Astrid looked around. Her shoulder pressed into the cold metal of the pole as she waited impatiently for her light to turn green, her lungs crying out for air. Astrid couldn't run forever, but she wasn't ready to go home. Astrid tugged out her phone and looked down at it. It was Sunday night, Ruff was probably eating dinner at her parents with her brother. Fishlegs couldn't fit in fixing her car; that generally meant he was busy too. A car honked, startling her enough to glance up.

Astrid surprised herself when the bright screen caught her attention again and saw her thumb hovering over a particular name. _Hiccup_. Without hesitation, Astrid hit the new text button, fingers typing away.

0o0o0o0o

Hiccup laid awkwardly across his bed, pinned in the uncomfortable position by a peacefully snoring cat on his back. One of his arms was pinned underneath him, his face extremely close to the board at the end of his bed. The only part of him comfortable were his feet, resting across a pillow. They'd torn the cover half-off it in his fits of squirming, but Hiccup wasn't paying enough attention or cared enough to sit up and fix it. His spoiled cat wouldn't let him.

With the hand that was free, Hiccup was surfing the internet, researching the latest prices on the least stocked parts in the garage for Gobber. His hand rested against the touch pad, fingers drawing the mouse in circles over the screen. This was the way every summer evening went, and he was enjoying it. Within a few months he'd be spending every waking moment (and some sleeping ones) with his eyes glued to a textbook. Mechanical Engineering. He was going to help design cars for big named companies. Renovate the way society used their transportation. _After_ he suffered through years of Hell.

Hiccup found his mind starting to wander, back to the beautiful blonde that was haunting his thoughts. When she was younger, he remembered Astrid wanted to be a doctor. She'd also proclaimed herself a future police officer, veterinarian, lawyer, among other things. Hiccup had always known he wanted to build; Astrid couldn't settle on one thing. Would she go to a school in Europe to be closer to her British boyfriend? Probably. Hiccup groaned, his forehead falling down to slam off of his laptop and disrupting Toothless. The cat stood and stretched, finally sliding off his back. Free, Hiccup pushed himself to a sitting position and rolled out his broad shoulders. The laptop found it's way back into his lap.

"What're you looking at?" Hiccup grumbled when he noticed the cat was staring at him expectantly. Toothless lifted a petite paw and started to lap at it, running it over his ear. He was always brooding, looking at Hiccup like he was worth no more than food and ear scratches. If he knew just how miserable his owner was feeling, he didn't show it, instead proceeding to curl up against his thigh and rest his tail over his nose. Hiccup sighed, reaching his hand down to stroke his long fingers through his best friend's soft fur. It wasn't fair, Hiccup decided, thinking about Astrid's new boyfriend. How was he supposed to compete with someone he didn't even know?

A strange, slightly creepy idea fluttered into Hiccup's mind and he turned his attention back at the screen. Before he could regret it, Hiccup opened a new tab, fingers furiously beating off the keyboard in a series of clicks as he searched Astrid's name over Facebook. It wasn't _that _creepy, right? He was just curious, that was all. Toothless didn't agree. The cat had lifted his head, turning his judgmental stare onto Hiccup again. He shot his cat a glare.

"It isn't creepy," he justified to the animal, glaring at him from over the top of the laptop. Unblinking green eyes stared back at him and the cats nose twitched in amusement. "You can shut up." He pointed his index finger at his pet while the page loaded. Hiccup tugged his lower lip between his teeth, and hunched over towards the screen. He squinted.

There, right there, under "friends" was some beefy guy with a black ponytail with the name _Eret, Son of Eret._ Just looking at the guy was another blow to Hiccup's self esteem. He was gorgeous. He had muscles bulging in places Hiccup didn't even know muscles could bulge. There were pictures of him holding soccer trophies, with his arms around girls, of him and Astrid, euck, _kissing. _One of him with an elderly lady. This guy was athleticism in it's purest state. Hiccup was all pointy angles and knobby knees. Him and this Eret guy were practically different species. If that was the kind of person Astrid was attracted too, nothing could be done for Hiccup. It was hopeless.

A sigh escaped his lips and Toothless glanced up at him again, the glint in his eyes practically screaming "I told you so." Hiccup rolled his eyes and hesitated his hand over the little 'x'. Would it be horribly unforgivable if he just took a brief look through Astrid's pictures? She would probably think so. She didn't have to know. The devil on his shoulder won out and Hiccup quickly clicked her photos. Scrolling through them, he confirmed what he already knew. Astrid was gorgeous. Astrid had always been gorgeous. It was unfair to the rest of the human race. Her pictures consisted mostly of her doing things with friends, with her family, with- wait a minute. Was that a picture of them when they were kids? Hiccup leaned in closer and blinked at the picture.

The picture was set on a beach, with a very flushed, scrawny Hiccup and Astrid grinning and forcing him into the picture. There was a half-destroyed sandcastle between the two of them. He faintly recalled that day, the memory fluttering around in the back of his head. Astrid was stuck spending the day with her family and dragged him along, despite his protests. He'd gotten a horrible sunburn and blamed her for the next month. Honestly, Hiccup hadn't expected to see any picture of himself and Astrid as children when he clicked on the folder, let alone this one. Astrid complained about it being on her wall for ages afterwards. They were only twelve.

He got himself caught up in his own brain that he wasn't prepared when his phone informed him of a new text message. He startled and quickly slammed his laptop shut, disturbing Toothless at his spot half-across his calf. The cat, with an annoyed burst of air through his nose, jumped down off his bed and wiggled his way out of the room. Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Princess." He called after him, reaching for his phone on his bedside table. He was puzzled at the notification. He never got texts this late at night, not unless Snotlout wanted to brag to someone about getting laid. Hiccup open his phone and lifted an eyebrow when he read it.

[Astrid Hofferson: 9:43pm] _Hey, can we hang out?_

**_So, _I'm currently working on upping my writing anty. So, if these next chapters seem different from the first couple, that's why. Also, I'm going to try and get this out Monday/Tuesday every week. Woohoo.**


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